Site 5: Angela Stream

These plantings along the edges of Angela Stream are recreating glimpses of what primeval Christchurch would have looked like.

This natural looking stream was constructed in 1998. Its dark tannin-laden water is typical of the wetland streams that once flowed throughout Christchurch, hidden dense streamside mixes of sedges, NZ flax, toetoe, mikimiki, koromiko, and cabbage trees. Muddier slow-flowing waters typical of lowland marshy wetlands mingle here with Angela Stream.

Angela Stream

During summer you might spot adult whitebait from the bridge. They migrate downstream in autumn to lay their eggs in bankside vegetation in the tidal reaches of the Avon River. Hatched larval fish are washed to sea during high tides.

Angela Stream

They return the following spring to grow into adults in fresh-water streams like this one. Short-finned eels are plentiful in Travis Wetland, but do not spawn here. At a later stage of the restoration project, fish ladders might be added to some weirs to allow movement of native fish within the swamp. The system of weirs partly prevents pest fish from moving into the wetland.

Can you find this plant ?

Can you see this bird ?

Mallard x Grey Duck hybrid

Hybridisation between the introduced Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos and our native Grey Duck, Anas superciliosa is common in New Zealand.

Mallard plumage is predominant in most Mallard/Grey duck hybrids an indication that the male Mallards mate with the grey females rather than the other way around.

Mallards can hybridize with 63 duck species world wide !!

You would be very lucky to see a pure Grey in Canterbury, even a pure Mallard would be unusual.